Beloved Friends,
Cathy and I just returned from seeing our twin granddaughters, Claire and Margot, in Denver. Perhaps more amazing than the miracle of new life and the joy of becoming a grandparent is seeing your child become a parent. I am astounded by how naturally this has come to Jacob and Elana. Cathy and I are very grateful for this blessing. I know that it has changed me and affords me the gift of looking at Torah through a new lens. This week’s Torah portion, Bo, from the Book of Exodus, is no exception.
In Bo, we encounter the themes of liberation, faith, and gratitude. The journey our ancestors undertook from slavery to freedom is a powerful metaphor for the cycles of life, growth, and gratitude. In Bo, we witness the culmination of the plagues sent by God to help secure our ancestor’s freedom from Pharaoh. We also read about the institution of the Passover festival, and ultimately the departure of the Israelites from Egypt.
Allow me to connect a few of these new dots. The Israelites learn to express gratitude for all that has been done for them culminating in the Song at the Sea. Our ancestors sang and danced with their first, true taste of freedom. Just as the Israelites reflected upon the blessings of their lives, so too are we obligated to do the same, especially now when the world seems so dark. For Cathy and me the arrival of our granddaughters has brought profound joy and a liberation, if only fleeting, from the woes of the moment. Our hearts have expanded with love and gratitude.
The journey of our ancestors required faith in a divine plan. For Cathy and me, in a similar way, becoming grandparents calls for trust in the unfolding of our familiar stories. It is a reminder that each generation plays a unique role in the grand tapestry of life, guided by a higher purpose.
Parashat Bo also emphasizes the importance of passing down traditions. As grandparents, we have the privilege and the responsibility of sharing our wisdom, values, and experiences with the newest members of our family. Almost every Shabbat morning, I share with our B’nai Mitzvah families that we each receive Torah as part of an unbroken chain of transmission because our ancestors dedicated themselves to the study, teaching, and implementation of all the instructions contained within Torah. Each generation forges its own links in the chain of this tradition by studying, teaching, and doing. Dor l’dor, generation to generation.
For our ancestors, the Exodus was a new beginning. They would forever experience themselves and the world in new and exciting ways. So it is with Cathy and me, new grandparents embarking on a new adventure. We celebrate the potential, the possibilities, and the infinite love that comes with the arrival of new life.
Parashat Bo invites us to embrace gratitude and have faith in the divine unfolding of our stories even as we joyfully welcome the newest generation into our lives and into our world. Cathy and I pray that as we all navigate the passages of life and witness the miracles that unfold, we will all be inspired to carry the Torah of love, wisdom, and traditions for the generations to come, dor l’dor.
Shabbat Shalom,
